SFFMP 131: When a Literary Agent Makes Sense for New and Established Authors

Science Fiction & Fantasy Marketing Podcast

Today, literary agent Mark Gottlieb chatted with Jo and Lindsay. He’s from the Trident Media Group and represents a lot of genres, including science fiction and fantasy. We asked him about getting an agent as a newer author and also as an established indie author with some titles under your belt.

Here are a few specifics of what we discussed:

• Whether print-only deals are still a thing or a likely option for indie authors who sell well.
• Whether most clients are coming out of the slush pile or if networking at workshops and conventions is important for getting an agent.
• What kinds of rights (foreign rights, audio rights, film rights, etc.) are useful for indie authors to know about.
• Whether getting a film deal or an “option” is really that lucrative, or if it’s mostly marketing to help an author sell more books.
• The role of agents in a hybrid author’s career.
• Whether the traditional publishing houses are signing as many authors as they used to, and if they’re fostering young authors’ careers.
• If some sub-genres of science fiction and fantasy do better with self-publishing instead of traditional publishing.
• What’s been trending the last couple of years with trad publishers and what they’re looking for now in the science fiction and fantasy genres.
• Whether it’s better to query with a series that’s in the middle and selling well, or if you should pitch something brand new.
• If it’s possible to get an agent and a publishing deal when your self-published book or books did not sell well.
• How much advertising a trad publisher is going to put behind a typical author.
• How much marketing you’re expected to do for yourself when you trad publish.

You can find Mark Gottlieb on the Trident Media Group site, and he mentioned that John Silbersack also seeks out SF&F with their agency.

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